Taylor Swift is a pop princess and red-carpet tabloid staple, but she’s also one of our country’s most talented songwriters. The teen ingenue got her start at local Nashville venues before she found a home in the music industry with Scott Borchetta’s Big Machine Records at age 14. She has written songs for herself, as well as artists like John Mayer, Boys Like Girls, and Kellie Pickler. She’s also co-written two tracks for Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana and performed on the film’s soundtrack. Her eponymous debut album went on to sell over 10 million copies.
After a brief flirtation with teen pop stardom, Taylor started branching out into more sophisticated genres. In 2024, she released folklore and its companion record, evermore–ruminative records full of heightened emotions and extremes. USA Today called them “songs that are the most specific, candid, and unsparing of her work to date”.
As Taylor matured, she continued redefining herself as an artist. She turned up the romance with 2019’s Lover, and delved into more nuanced relationship issues with 2020’s folklore and its sister album, evermore. She’s also explored new sonic territory on her more contemporary releases, such as the soft, comfortable bed-like sonics of midnights and 2024’s the tortured poets department.
Regardless of the genre, Taylor has always been known for her ability to connect with people through her songs. She has an innate sense of what people want to hear, and she knows how to deliver it. Here are some of our favorite Taylor Swift songs, from her raw 2006 debut as a teen country ingenue all the way to her more recent, high-profile pop tunes.
In a world of pop stars who seem to be constantly on the verge of self-destruction, Taylor Swift is an anomaly. She has a rare ability to juggle the many hats of modern celebrity, and pull it off with grace and ease. She’s an entertainer, a role model, and a feminist. And she’s done it all without losing sight of her values or her appeal.
From her sexy debut single “Tim McGraw” to the ballads of her fifth album, 1989, here are some of our favorite Taylor Swift songs.
Taylor isn’t afraid to challenge the status quo, and she has never been more sexy than on this racy number. The song’s chorus is all about the power of a woman who could blow up a stadium with her charm. Taylor’s soaring vocals are the cherry on top of this earworm. Despite its downtempo, slow-burning tempo, it has the kind of depleted sound that gives the song an added sexiness. It’s a perfect example of how Swift can make the most mundane topics feel exciting and fresh.
